Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $836 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,380 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $1,924 in Alexandria.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 63% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Alexandria is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$9.29 RON 42.62

51.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$34.04 RON 156

102.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$7.11 RON 32.60

13.64%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$1.88 RON 8.64

80.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 RON 10.28

$1.99 RON 9.11

12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.64 RON 7.54

47.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.36 RON 10.81

43.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$2.73 RON 12.52

40.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.42 RON 6.50

21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.26 RON 5.76

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.35 RON 6.18

35.56%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$1.36 RON 6.26

168.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$5.22 RON 23.92

76.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$4.65 RON 21.32

47.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$8.97 RON 41.14

34.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$0.94 RON 4.31

42.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.52 RON 6.95

13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.18 RON 5.43

54.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$1.13 RON 5.17

111.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.44 RON 2.04

136.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.67 RON 3.06

52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.44 RON 2.02

122.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.72 RON 3.32

31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.50 RON 25.22

16.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$5.41 RON 24.83

20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$0.67 RON 3.06

85.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$0.95 RON 4.34

103.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.71 RON 3.27

60.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$23.48 RON 108

-15.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.48 RON 2.20

47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.44 RON 2.00

47.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$4.99 RON 22.87

38.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.59 RON 7.31

4.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$18.1K RON 82.9K

60.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$24.0K RON 110.3K

25.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$183 RON 841

$118 RON 540

55.78%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.95 RON 41.05

$7.11 RON 32.59

25.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$6.89 RON 31.59

61.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$38.29 RON 176

42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$9.04 RON 41.44

226.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$4.74 RON 21.74

92.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$676 RON 3,102

$431 RON 1,978

56.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$7,025 RON 32.2K

103.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$69.6 RON 319

16.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$34.98 RON 160

26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$68.4 RON 314

31.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$69.4 RON 318

55.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$342 RON 1,569

93.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$231 RON 1,058

91.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$798 RON 3,659

69.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$571 RON 2,617

48.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,329 RON 6,093

184.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$811 RON 3,722

174.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$861 RON 3,951

63.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $342 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 63% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $34.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $157 per month, with Alexandria cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bucharest vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Bucharest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 63% higher in Bucharest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $342 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $836 in Alexandria – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 18% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.